The Music Banter Members' Journals Monthly Update Thread

[Trollheart]

[Unknown Soldier]

Originally Posted by Trollheart

He's an American what do you expect.

[The Batlord]

Originally Posted by Trollheart

That's ironic actually. I had every intention of finishing the new update on Tuesday and then having it up by the end of the week, but then my friend asked me to stay at his house to wait for a package while he was at work and we spent the next two days watching countless episodes of Futurama. And Dr. Who.

[Trollheart]

[QUOTE=The Batlord;1364720]That's ironic actually. I had every intention of finishing the new update on Tuesday and then having it up by the end of the week, but then my friend asked me to stay at his house to wait for a package while he was at work and we spent the next two days watching countless episodes of Futurama. And Dr. Who.[/QUOTE]

Time very well spent!

[Trollheart]

Well, after last week's slowdown, this week we see an absolute crawl! Other than my own updates there are precisely two journals to tell you about tonight. Two! What are you people up to? What? Work? No, I don't think I ... (checks Wiki) ... ah yes! I remember that! I worked four years ago. What? Life? Life, life, life... no, doesn't ring a bell (checks Wiki again) ... sorry you got me there. Never had one of those!

Seriously, I know everyone is busy and has a lot to do, and of course writing your journal is never top of that ever-increasing list, but two journals updated (other than mine) is pretty disappointing. Hopefully some of you will get inspiration, time or inclination soon and we'll have a better showing next ... hold on a minute! Didn't I say that last week? Oh well, I suppose it makes it a lot easier to write this update. But I'd really rather be spending half an hour composing the post than banging it out in three minutes, as here. Well, we'll see I guess.

So then, in (chortle) alphabetical order as ever, we have

Ki, who's flying the flag in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nal-music.html with a defence of the oft-maligned Dream Theater (well if they learned to spell it would be a start! Sorry American readers! ) and he's also rating his best, worst and meh albums of this year. So far.

And me? Yeah, we're around to me already. Not that I have all that much to say really, but at least I have an excuse. I'm writing Metal Month and it is going to be huge! Twenty-three days and counting! But in the meantime I've tried to keep up a few updates and in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-journal.html there's the long-awaited (by him anyway!) review of the band YorkeDaddy is in, cloudcover's new album. Highly recommended. Really. Meanwhile the first episode of "Les Revenants" (the Returned) has begun in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-emporium.html and I've also managed to mini-review Blue Sky Rider's debut album in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...i-reviews.html! Now, don't you feel ashamed you didn't update even once this week?

Always dependable, always http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...y-history.html, there's a feeling of redux to Unknown Soldier's look at both Queen and Hawkwind, and that's because they're both the second parts of articles already posted. Nice stuff!

Well it goes without saying that I won't be selecting a "Post of the week" as so little has been posted. I understand everyone has their priorities, but it has been a little disheartening to watch the journals page fill with virtually nothing but my name this week. I know Powerstars' computer is broken, and so is Vanilla's, so they're excuses you can't really deny. Not that anyone needs excuses: you update or you don't, and you do it when you like. But I would hope that there might be a little more activity next week, if only for the fact that my journals take up about eighty percent of this post, and I'm not one to get a swollen head, but give a dog a bad name, like Tiddles, all I'm sayin'...

So till next week, let's hope computers get repaired and inspiration strikes, and free time becomes a little kinder to those of you whom it's eluding at the moment.

Toodles!

[Key]

I tend to update mine at least once a week be it one journal entry or two, and possibly three if i'm feeling creative. I don't want to start getting these things in my journal:

[Trollheart]

OK well, ten haven't exactly been killed in the rush, and it's hardly the all hands to the pumps I might have hoped for, but at least we have more than two journals being updated this week. Hey, it's a start! I realise a lot of you are going back to/starting school/college and as winter begins to draw in the prospect of working on your journal may or may not become a more attractive prospect. But here for now are what we have this week:

The old reliable, Anteater, kicks us off with some interesting insights into insurance (I'm serious!) in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...n-dollars.html --- don't get taken! Read this first!

Ki is next up with his take on the new album from Bullet for my Valentine (don't think he likes it; see further down) and also comparing two Sigur Ros albums in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nal-music.html. He's also updating his Hit/Miss/Not sure yet list.

and his paramour is consulting her http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ic-memory.html with songs from Marc Bolan, Fleetwood Mac and Steely Dan, among others.

Stephen is still http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-observer.html, and this week he's looking at a band called ... Venom P. Stinger. What does the P stand for? Ask him.

And so to my little corner of Journal Land. What have I been doing you say? Well preparing for Met --- yeah yeah we know! Stop going on about it Trollheart! Yeah well you just wait till you see it. Anyway, again not too much but I'm tryin'! in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-journal.html there's a new "More than words", the first in a while, and more to the point, two years after the last "Taking Centre Stage" we're back with an in-depth feature on Dan Fogelberg. Just an episode from "The Onedin Line" over at http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-emporium.html, and that's my lot for this week. I know, I know, but I'm trying to get ... okay okay! I'll shut up about it!

1978 has come to http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...y-history.html, with an intro and no doubt some great music to follow from Unknown Soldier. Just up today I see a review of an Ian Gillan album: never liked the guy myself. Lots more to come no doubt.

And, well, that's it. Oh wait. Since people made an effort this week let me just choose my

which comes from Ki, and his brilliant put-down of the album from BfmV. Here it is.

Originally Posted by Ki

I believe it is time to review an album that just about made me cringe in how terrible it was. Bullet For My Valentine's Temper Temper. I know there's a lot of people out there that will say something like..."were you really expecting something good?". In my defense, I found their three previous albums to be a touch above decent, but this one...this one just makes me wonder what the hell they were trying to accomplish, however that would make one assume that they were actually trying. It seriously lacks in everything that would even allow me to consider it a worthy album worth listening to. The guitarist uses cliche guitar solos and the typical metalcore guitar sounds that one would expect to hear from a band like Bring Me The Horizon, at least they admit to being a part of the genre so it's okay. Lyrically, I don't even want to talk about it but I will only to further my point in how bad I thought this was. For example...taken from the chorus of Dead To The World:

"Lost without hope
Hope is now lost"



Need I say more? Like...really? You're going to start the chorus by just reversing what you said in the first line? Not even that, but the way it's delivered just makes me cringe every time, and of course the rest of the chorus goes as follows:

"As I hang on for one more tomorrow
Hearts turned to black
I'm not coming back
I know I can't last
'Cause I feel like I'm dead to the world"

This chorus seems like it was taken directly from the mind of some pre pubescent child who is now discovering that he might be emo, and poetry is his way of expressing that interest.

I was really hoping for something at least halfway decent mostly because I found Temper Temper (single) to be pretty damn good. I liked it, and it showed potential for a pretty fun album, but when the album was released, I immediately commented by saying that I was very happy to have gotten the album for free, or else I would have demanded to get my money back. I'd had rather bought a lifetime supply of trash than to support the band for this album. I know that may seem a bit harsh, but if you've listened to this album fully, you'll understand that it's not too unreal to think such things.

There's not much more to say. The only way you should listen to this album, is for free. Don't even bother trying to support the band for it.

Right then, that really is it. Signs of, as they say over here in Ireland about the economy while trying not to laugh, green shoots and some sort of recovery. Whether those shoots put forth buds, or whatever shoots do --- I'm no gardener --- next week is up to you guys. I'll be here to report on whatever is written, so anyone who has an idea for an article banging around in their head, or really must review that album, this would be a good time.

Till then
Toodles!

[Unknown Soldier]

You forgot to update my journal properly

[Trollheart]

Originally Posted by Unknown Soldier

You forgot to update my journal properly

No I didn't. Your Nazareth update wasn't there when I wrote the update, so that will feature in this week's one. I do work to a deadline, you know...

[Trollheart]

Another week, another small handful of updates only to report. Shall we get on with it then?

Certainly one to keep the flag flying, Ki is looking at the new album from Avenged Sevenfold --- great album! --- and also updating his Hit or Miss list. Catch it all in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nal-music.html

A new journal this week from Maidahl with the oddly-titled http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...949-where.html. Not much in it but then she only began yesterday so we'll keep an eye on it.

http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...-infinity.html is Mondo Bungle, with more fascinating and interesting information on recreational drugs. This time's it's DMT. Huh?

Still tapping away on his 3DS, Powerstars looks in to talk about bad bands covering good songs. It's a brief foray into http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...sicalness.html: we look forward to you getting back fully online man!

I've been working relatively hard on my journals, pushing Metal Month aside just for a few days while I try to catch up. Some stuff of course has been pre-written, and the special on Dan Fogelberg has been kicking around my notes for almost a year now, but that doesn't make it any less enthralling. I hope. Finished it off this week, so if you're a fan or want to read about Dan's music head to http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-journal.html. Oh, and eight days left people! However I have completely written the new writeups for Babylon 5 season two in the last few days, and am continuing to do so. Catch the return of the greatest Science-Fiction drama series ever (Star what?) on http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-journal.html, while yeah, I've managed to squeeze something into http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...i-reviews.html too, with a review of Caves of Glass. Finally, after much badgering, I've listened to "Nevermind", but as expected don't consider it one of the http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ver-heard.html.

And that, folks, is how you do it! Of course, you need not to have a job, a life and be totally obssessed by wanting people to read what you write, but you know, some of us are sad that way! Next week Metal Month starts, so it's possible that my other journals may get somewhat neglected as I devote all my energies to that. Then again, most of it is now written so perhaps not. I'll try to keep up with certainly The Couch Potato at least, but we'll see.

Which leaves of course my old friend Unknown Soldier, who has now moved into 1978 in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...y-history.html and is reviewing albums by Nazareth (that one missed the deadline cutoff last week), Scorpions and AC/DC. Good stuff!

So the slowdown continues, but some of us are still hard at it. I'll keep reporting if you keep writing, deal?

I said, deal???
Till next week,
Toodles!